Ambitious Bed-Stuy Restaurant Willow Closes, To Reopen With New Owner

Willow, a tiny but ambitious seasonal American restaurant from the team behind The Pines, has closed. Owner Carver Farrell says he sold it to a "young chef/owner" who plans to do a similar concept in the unusual space near the Franklin Avenue C train. The new owner, who Farrell could not disclose, hopes to reopen by mid-July. "The space is perfect for a chef/owner, and [the] decision was really because we found the right person to take over and are very excited about the energy and enthusiasm they will bring to the space," Farrell writes to Eater.

Willow opened in April of 2015, and chef John Poiarkoff left the restaurant in January. But while there, Poiarkoff's take on farm-to-table American food at Willow earned positive reviews, with critics calling the food disorienting but thrilling, whimsical, and a less annoying version of the typical Brooklyn restaurant dedicated to seasonality.

Meanwhile, The Pines remains open. Farrell, along with photographer-stylist April Valencia, debuted a taco pop-up and market in the Gowanus restaurant's backyard last month called Josephina. The five taco options, including lamb barbacoa and carne asada, are cooked on a wood-fired grill and made with fresh tortillas.